Who's In Charge?
by suzie2b
Summary: And maybe a little humor. Troy and Moffitt have an argument.


**Disclaimer:** _ **The Rat Patrol**_ **is not my property. They come out to play sometimes, then I send them home.**

 **Author's note: This is for churchlady63, who wanted a little Troy/Moffitt drama.**

 **Who's In Charge?**

 **By Suzie2b**

 **When the jeeps pulled to a stop after an unsuccessful hit on a Germany convoy, Troy was angry. He jumped out of the back of the jeep and stormed over to Tully, who had just gotten out from behind the wheel. "What in the heck were you doing out there?"**

 **Tully turned to face the sergeant questioningly. "Huh?"**

" **I told you to take the trucks from behind and to the left!"**

 **Moffitt hopped out of the back of the jeep as he said, "Don't yell at him, Troy. He was doing as I told him."**

 **Troy turned his anger on his fellow sergeant. "You countermanded my orders without discussing it with me first?"**

" **There wasn't exactly time for a discussion on the matter…"**

 **Troy gestured angrily as he said, "I need to know what my men are doing at all times! I can't have you and Tully going off on your own like that! When I give an order I expect it to be carried out!"**

 **Moffitt's ire was beginning to show on his face. "When** _ **you**_ **give an order? I'm also a sergeant and a quite capable one if I do say so myself!"**

 **Troy growled, "This is** _ **my**_ **unit, Moffitt! I was put in charge of it before you got here!"**

 **Hitch and Tully stood back to watch the words fly back and forth between the two sergeants. Neither of them had ever seen Troy so angry and they'd never seen Moffitt get into a war of words with anyone before. The privates looked at each other, wondering if they should be concerned.**

 **Moffitt said, "This is my unit too, Troy!"**

 **Hitch said, "Sarge…"**

 **Moffitt continued, "If I had let your orders stand, Tully and I could have been killed back there!"**

 **Troy said, "If you'd stayed to the left like I told you, there wouldn't have been a problem!"**

 **Hitch repeated a little louder, "Sarge…"**

 **Troy and Moffitt turned as one and snarled in unison, "What?"**

 **Both privates jumped and Tully said, "We have company coming. We need to get outta here."**

 **#################**

 **The rest of the day was spent in a rather dismal silence. Troy puffed on his cigarettes and stared straight ahead at the horizon. Moffitt sat ramrod straight next to Tully with his arms folded over his chest. Both had their eyebrows knitted together in angry frowns. It was just a good thing that Hitch and Tully knew where they'd planned to spend the night, because neither wanted to ask about it.**

 **When they reached the wadi they'd decided to spend the night in, Troy got out of the jeep and said to Hitch, "You and Tully get some dinner started. We haven't had a hot meal in a couple days." He turned to Moffitt to say sarcastically, "If you think that's an appropriate order."**

 **Moffitt frowned as he looked at Tully. "Get a fire going. There's not enough fuel left for the stove." Then he looked back at Troy and said, "I'll take first watch. That is, if it meets with your approval."**

 **Troy shrugged and Moffitt grabbed a machine gun as he stomped away.**

 **Hitch and Tully looked at each other as they began to unload what they needed out of the jeeps.**

 **The evening wore on mostly in silence. There was none of the usual easy banter between them. Hitch and Tully were glad to take their turns on watch while Troy and Moffitt avoided one another.**

 **#################**

 **The next morning nothing had changed. Troy and Moffitt only spoke to verify their plans for the day. The conversation was clipped and terse.**

 **They drove about fifty-six kilometers west where they expected to intercept another German convoy. Troy and Hitch were on their bellies at the top of a sand dune watching the approaching three truck convoy that was led by one halftrack and followed by another. When they were close enough, they went back to the jeeps.**

 **As they got ready to head out, Troy said, "Looks like they may be ready for us this time. They've brought along some protection. He gave Tully a warning look. "You know what you're supposed to do."**

 **Tully nodded and slid in behind the wheel.**

 **Hitch came from the side near the front of the convoy while Tully came up behind the halftrack at the rear. They quickly discovered that in addition to the halftracks, each truck had a passenger armed with a machine gun.**

 **Tully backed away from the halftrack when one of the Germans swung their 30 caliber around. He swerved to the right as the slugs ricocheted off the front of the jeep, but before he could get back into position so Moffitt could throw a grenade, the canvas flap at the back of the truck in front of the halftrack was pulled up to reveal a mortar launcher.**

 **Moffitt yelled, "Get us out of here!"**

 **Tully was already pulling away as more bullets hit the jeep. And then they heard a mortar. It wasn't a direct hit, but it was enough to send the jeep onto its side in a cloud of dust and sand, while sending Moffitt and Tully flying.**

 **Troy had just dispatched the lead halftrack with a grenade when he and Hitch heard the mortar explode. Realizing the convoy was actually a trap, Troy had Hitch swing the jeep around and head for the rear of the line, making sure to stay on the left side of the trucks away from the machine gun packing passengers.**

 **As they rounded the last truck, Troy fired the 50 and took out the Germans manning the mortar launcher. Then Hitch took off after the halftrack that was bearing down on the overturned jeep. The German 30 caliber was sending slugs ricocheting off the jeep and had Moffitt and Tully pinned down. However, before they knew what was happening, Troy fired the 50, killing everyone in the back of the halftrack. The driver could do nothing but break off the attack and head back to the now stopped convoy for help.**

 **Moffitt stood up as Hitch drove around the overturned jeep. Troy called, "You two okay?"**

 **Moffitt said, "Tully's hurt his shoulder!" He then pointed to the newly manned halftrack. "You take care of them while I take care of him!"**

 **Troy nodded and Hitch spun the jeeps wheels as he took off. This time Troy was able to lob a grenade into the halftrack, permanently taking care of the problem. Then mortars hit the sand around them. Now that they knew the launchers were in the back of the trucks, Hitch was able to avoid the incoming bombs as he drove hell-bent for leather at the trucks.**

 **By the time the Germans knew they were in trouble Troy had blown up one of the trucks, sending the others scurrying out into the desert.**

 **Rather than giving chase, Troy ordered Hitch to head back to Moffitt and Tully.**

 **Troy knelt next to Tully as Moffitt settled his arm into a sling. "How bad is it?"**

 **Tully said, "I'm fine, sarge."**

 **Troy looked at Moffitt expectantly and the sergeant said, "It's not dislocated and it doesn't feel broken. I'm pretty sure it's a sprain."**

 **Troy breathed a sigh of relief. "Okay, let's get this jeep back on its wheels and see if she'll start."**

 **Rope and the second jeep soon had Tully's jeep righted. Hitch helped Tully check the engine and repair a water hose. After Hitch refilled the radiator, he got in and hit the starter. After several tries, the jeep sputtered to life.**

 **#################**

 **They stopped in a waterhole for the night. After a hot meal of franks and beans, Troy said to Hitch, "Go relieve Moffitt on watch so he can eat."**

" **Right, sarge."**

 **Troy turned to Tully. "I want you to take it easy. Moffitt and I will take care of clean-up tonight."**

 **Tully said, "But I can…"**

" **You're not doing much of anything until that shoulder gets x-rayed, got it?"**

 **Tully sighed. "I got it, sarge."**

 **After Moffitt finished his dinner, the sergeants started the clean-up duties. Tully watched as they worked silently side-by-side.**

 **They were stowing the mess kits in the jeeps when Troy said quietly, "I'm sorry."**

 **Moffitt knew how hard it was for his counterpart to say those words. "So am I."**

" **I realized today that you're a damn good sergeant and you know what you're doing. I also realized that I trust you even more than I knew. What I said to you was wrong."**

" **My comments were inexcusable as well."**

 **Troy held out his hand as he said, "This is** _ **our**_ **unit. We're both in charge."**

 **Moffitt took the offered hand. "We're both in charge, but you're our leader."**


End file.
